Origin

In Roman times people tried to predict future events by watching the behaviour of animals and birds. An auspex was a person who observed the flight of birds for omens about what to do in important matters. A related word, auspicium, meant ‘taking omens from birds’. Like auspex, it came from avis ‘bird’ and specere ‘to look’, and is the source of auspice (mid 16th century). It was originally used to translate the Roman concept, but later came to mean ‘a premonition or forecast, especially of a happy future’. Auspicious accordingly meant ‘fortunate or favourable’. If the auspex's omens were favourable, he was seen as the protector of a particular enterprise, hence the expression under the auspices of, ‘with the help, support, or protection of’. An auspex was also known as an augur (again, avis ‘bird’ is the root of this word, together with garrire ‘to talk’). If something augurs (Late Middle English) well, it is a sign of a good outcome. See also aviation, inaugural